Unbelievable! Surprised do we look out and see another sunny
warm day. Four days of sunshine, something must be wrong. I hurry down
to the jåhk, wash my shirt and let it dry on the already warm rocks.
After an hour is it dry. On a good track and with far reaching views do
we head for the goal of today, Rautojaure shelter. In the north and east
are the mountains distant, in the south do we have the wall of Ravdoajvve.
It becomes the warmest day so far. Five litres of water is required during
the day. The track do on open moors follow the brook Valldajåhkå.
Temporarily do one pass through a brich forest, then the views are there
again. One walk beneath Ravdoajvve, with a magnificient view of the valley
of Valldajåhkå. Over the brook from the glacier lake far up
on Ravdoajvve is a partlty demolished bridge. We have a long lunch break
in the shadow of the rock at the brook. The next bridge, over the brook
from a lake further up, is more robust. My friend wonder the weight of
the bridge. I guess 300 kg, he 420. On the bridge days it say 420 kg! To
close to be true, he confess he is cheating and has read it before asking.
We have the view of the valley for a few more kilometers, then the track
enter the birch forest.
The leaves are already yellow, it has beeen raining for a long time.
But the undergrowth is still luxuriant. The track is more and more through
the forest. At the end of a downhill slope sit two persons and rest. The
look tired, and dressed for a much colder day. How do they manage? They
are on their way to Hellemobotn, one of them can tell that the track at
Hellemobotn was an escape route during the second world war. That one can
understand, it is rather inaccessible. We leave them and continue through
the birch forest. The trail can not be popular, the track is here and there
overrun with grass. It is long before we see the Rautojaure shelter between
the trees. After having searched for a camp site, do we realise that we
have to use the shelter. There is a small open place at the lake, but it
is too small for our tent. We open the door to the shelter, in order to
let the heat out. Meanwhile do we take a bath in the lake. It is a fantastic
shallow lake, with a perfect beach, and with the view of Ahkke in the east.
After the bath do we have picknick at the edge of the water. I write my
diary while sitting in the sunshine outside the small house. Close to me
grow Rosebay Willowherb, there is a humming from the many bumble-bees.
A few butterflies do as well make a visit. During the day have we seen
two frogs and a few lemming remnants. We have not seen any living lemmings,
last year did one almost step on them.
Twenty meters from the shelter, towards the forest,
is an outdoor toilet. One of the doors is supported by a log. Towards the
lake is a hut for garbage and wood. The garbage room is clean, but there
is nothin in the wood store. That does not matter, the shelter is
warm as it is. Besides, the stove does not look healthy, it is rusty. Other
things in the shelter are: empty liquor bottles, a well used towel, an
unused dishbrush, saucepan, match box, german spaghetti (best before 011003),
sponge, toothpaste from the early 80ies, knife, gloves, sandals, a lousy
brush, rusty nails, spanner, broken rubber gloves, on open bag of powder
soup which has formed lumps. On the walls and ceiling are many inscriptions
from other guests, the oldest we find is from 17/7-83. The light fade,
which tell us that it is time to sleep.
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